Bears' DJ Moore: I'm 'definitely on record' wanting Justin Fields back
DJ Moore has just one year of catching passes from Justin Fields under his belt, but the Chicago Bears wide receiver wants the team to stick with their young signal-caller.
Moore, who said he's "definitely on record" that he wants Fields back, raved about Chicago's incumbent quarterback.
"His growth has been phenomenal," Moore said about Fields to PFT Live Thursday. "If you look at the games where he came back off of injury, he’s been everything you could ask out of a quarterback. Puts us in a position to win, getting the ball to his playmakers and if he’s gotta do it himself, he does it himself and takes it like 50, 60 yards and does his thing. That’s all you can ask, is just steady growth and that’s what he did."
Moore also referred to Fields as a "great leader."
Chicago is faced with the temptation of selecting USC star quarterback and 2022 Heisman winner Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft — which it has by way of a 2023 blockbuster trade with the Carolina Panthers that sent Moore to the Windy City — or trading the pick and subsequently sticking with Fields; the Bears also own the No. 9 pick in the draft.
Bears free-agent cornerback and Pro Bowler Jaylon Johnson also recently gave Fields his endorsement to remain Chicago's starting quarterback next season.
Fields just wrapped up his third season in the NFL, which saw him total 2,562 passing yards, 16 passing touchdowns, nine interceptions and an 86.3 passer rating, while completing 61.4% of his passes across 13 starts (Fields missed four games due to a thumb injury). He also rushed for 657 yards and four touchdowns.
While he has occasionally flashed a reputable deep ball, Fields has primarily done damage with his legs, rushing for an astounding 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns on an NFL-best 7.1 yards per carry in 2022. He has a career 82.3 passer rating.
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Meanwhile, Moore just put together the most productive season of his career, finishing with 96 receptions for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns, all career highs. It was Moore's fourth 1,000-plus receiving yard season in the last five years.
The Bears averaged 182.1 passing yards (27th in the NFL), 141.1 rushing yards (second), 323.2 total yards (20th) and 21.2 points (18th) per game this season. Chicago went 7-10.
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